camas a’choirce - forestryandland.gov.scot · for january/february 2018, under snh consent....

Version control Last updated 19/02/18 (CT)

Camas a’Choirce

KEY FEATURES Area

Total 123.9ha Designated area 123.9ha Woodland types (habitat extent)

ASNW PAWS 119.1ha

Open 1.5ha Woodland description

Mature oak woodland, including standards, and abundant birch regeneration in more open areas, contrast with the remaining conifer wood. Pine trees render

the conifer areas less dense than some other conifer stands, which allows a grass and moss dominated ground flora to survive in places. Remnants of ancient woodland by the Allt Camas a’Choirce are typical of many of the rich

ravine refuges found throughout the SSSI where ‘Atlantic’ fern and epiphytic species of interest grow.

History of management The woodland was acquired from the Board of Agriculture for Scotland in 1951

as part of a larger transfer including An Cnap, Bun Allt Eachain, Ardery and Camas a’Choirce.

Conifer removal Clearfell coupes c2008 and 2013

Halo thinning 2005.

Conservation features Badgers Hairy wood ant Formica lugubris


Lichen assemblages The woodland does not appear to have been extensively surveyed with just five

records overlapping the unit. No species of conservation concern have been recorded.

Bryophyte assemblages The site is largely unsurveyed for bryophytes. A Category A burn flows through

the middle of the wood. Other surveys have recorded only 30 bryophytes throughout this block. This includes six ORIS species and 22 Oceanic Species.

The east of the site contains a series of burns running down the slopes. Most are low-scoring category C burns. A category A burn runs through the middle of the site and a tributary to a high scoring category A burn runs through the western

edge of the block.

Heritage features

Ceol Na Mara recessed platforms (two) and hut at the NW edge and a further 14 noted to the SE of the woodland. Immediately to the NW of Camas a’Choirce is a

large scheduled area consisting of a group of about 50 circular and sub-circular recessed platforms, varying in diameter from about 5m to about 12m, together with seven or more free-standing stone foundations of circular, oval and

rectangular plan.

The front scarps of the platforms are often revetted with stone. One of the free-standing foundations, at the west edge of the area proposed for scheduling, is a

small circular feature that fully justifies description as a hut circle.

Although often attributed solely to early-modern charcoal burning, recessed platforms such as these are more likely to be level stances upon which timber

roundhouses were built. Dates from the Neolithic to the early 2nd millennium AD have been suggested.

The Camus A’Choirk bridge is a good example of a parliamentary bridge built about 1814 to a design by Thomas Telford and still capable of carrying 44

tonnes lorries. The double curvature of the sides is virtually unique. The quarries from which the stone was taken can be seen in the plantation a few

yards upstream. PAWS

Camas a’Choirce is all classified as PAWS. The conifer has been removed from 2/3 of the woodland. Regeneration has been slow in the eastern section but is

now becoming established, albeit at a low stocking density particularly on the upper slopes where the heather has now re-established. The ecological potential is medium in this area (32ha) and the threat from large herbivores,

non-native regeneration and excess vegetation remains. The more recently felled (64ha) has a high ecological potential and regeneration is occurring from

the retained broadleaves but has a similar threat from excessive herbivore impact. There are a good number of remnants of the original wood in the

remaining conifer stands but these are threatened by shading. Scots pine has also been retained.


The natural regeneration is being monitored and is establishing, although the level of herbivore browsing precludes browse sensitive tree species.

Development of deer extraction routes should lead to a sufficient reduction in browsing levels to allow development of greater tree species diversity.

Species Area (ha)

Open 12.2

Felled 36.5

Birch 23.8

Japanese larch 7.8

Lodgepole pine 8.6

Mixed broadleaves 18.4

Mixed conifer 0.5

Norway spruce 0.9

Oak 2.6

Scots pine 4.2

Sitka spruce 6.9

Western hemlock 1.3

The conifer in the remaining coupe is P1955.

Other Water supplies on Allt Camas a’Choirce and a tributary of Allt Craig an Eighich.

Also water pipe following the line of the track to the west NM75866170 to NM75576125. Electricity wayleave above the public road.

The woodland is situated within the strategic deer fence.

MANAGEMENT PROPOSALS LT AWS management

The majority of the woodland will be managed for biodiversity using low impact systems. Intervention is necessary to establish woodland cover following the

experience of the eastern coupe. Some infrastructure is in place, although further is needed in order to remove the final section of conifer forest, and it is

proposed to use this infrastructure to manage the adjacent area for timber production from native woodland using low impact systems. Woodland associated with the main watercourse will be managed as Minimum Intervention

within the area topographically associated with the ravine, due to the conservation importance of the bryophyte species present.

Initial operations The existing felled areas are being monitored and enrichment planting will be

required in the period of the plan, to ensure the establishment of woodland

cover. Stocking and species re-established is also important in the areas

identified as suitable for long term timber production. Some enrichment planting

with oak grown from seed collected at Ariundle, is programmed for spring 2018

under SNH consent. Upgrading the access to aid deer extraction is programmed

for January/February 2018, under SNH consent. Existing forwarder tracks will be

modified to allow ATV access in the North-east part of the block that is beginning


to establish with regeneration. Increased deer management will aid the

establishment through natural regeneration of more browse sensitive species

such as oak, rowan and holly.

It is proposed to fell the final area of conifer within the period of the plan, in

order to take advantage of the current deer fencing that will help the

regeneration and planted trees to establish more rapidly. The coupe is mixed

conifer species planted in 1955, with significant wind blow at the northern end.

It will need to be felled as a single coupe due to the limitations of access and

future stability.

Proposed felling coupe

Coupe Av Planting

year

Av YC Area

Gross

Age

MMAI

Fell

year

Proposed

Fell year

87644

1955 4-8 22.6ha

63 2018 Phase 2

All based on SS NT 1.7m models

The original loading bay will be reduced back to a track and standard forest

entrance once felling is complete. An upgrade and creation of a loading bay will

be required at the existing access point located at the eastern edge of this

coupe. Creating a harvesting facility here will require the removal of at least one

mature tree but will impact a significantly smaller area than the alternative,

which is to form a new facility immediately to the west of the public road bridge

and build a road crossing back east over the incised ravine.

Proposed forest roads

Period Road number Length Coupe

Phase 2 SU 100m 87142

Loch SunartLand Management PlanDate : 12 February 2018Scale:

±

Lochaber Forest District

1:10,500

Camus a' choirceCurrent Species

Scots pineOther pinesSprucesLarchesOther ConiferOakBirch BeechOther broadleaves

LMP BoundaryForest Roads

Forester

Important watercourse for bryophytes

Ceol Na Mara Hut, Platform

Camaschoirk, Platform

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AWS, SSSI, Conservation And Heritage Features

Scale:


1:10,500

Loch SunartLand Management PlanDate: 14/11/2017

AWSClassification

Ancient Semi-Natural WoodlandsOpen GroundPAWSPlanted Site Native Woodland

A861 RoadNational Forest EstateSub-CompartmentsConservation featuresForest RoadsSSSI

DESIGNATION TYPEScheduled Monument

!(0 Heritage Features PointHeritage Features LineHeritage Features Polygon

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Scale:



1:10,500

Long term AWS management modelsModel

1 - Minimum intervention (inc Nat Res)2 - LISS for biodiversity3 - LISS for timber

SSSINational Forest EstateSub-CompartmentsA861 Road

Planned Road SegmentsForest RoadsExisting ATV Access TrackExisting Recreation Routes

Forester

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10 Year Management

Scale:


1:10,500


10 Year ManagementOperation

Clearfell conifersEnrichment plantRe-space broadleavesSelective fell of conifers

SSSINational Forest EstateSub-CompartmentsA861 Road

Existing ATV Access TrackExisting Recreation RoutePlanned Road SegmentsForest Roads

Lochaber Forest DistrictLoch Sunart LMP

Date: 22/05/2018Scale: 1:10,500

±

Felling PhasesCamas a' choirce

Phase 1 felling (2018 - 2022)Phase 2 felling (2023 - 2027)Phase 3 felling (2028 - 2032)Phase 4 felling (2033 - 2037)Phase 5 felling (2038 - 2042)Phase 6 felling (2043 - 2047)Phase 7 felling (2048 - 2052)After 2052Natural reserveLong term retentionMinimum InterventionLow impact silvicultureOpen

LMP BoundaryA861 RoadB8007Forest RoadsPlanned Road Segments

Lochaber Forest DistrictLoch Sunart Land Management PlanDate: 25/04/2018Scale: 1:10,500 ±

RestockCamas 'a choirce

Birch/BroadleaveBroadleave/Scots PineDouglas Fir/BirchNorway SpruceOakOak/BirchOpenScots PineScots Pine/Birch

planting_areaLMP BoundarySunart_tracksExisting ATV Access Track

Forest RoadsPlanned Road SegmentsA861 RoadB8007

camas a’choirce - forestryandland.gov.scot · for january/february 2018, under snh consent....

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